Accolade introduces travel retail exclusives

With a vision to become the world’s leading provider of New World premium, commercial and value wines, Accolade Wines is underlining its dedication to the travel retail and duty free market with the introduction of two category exclusive wines. Hardys Premium Selection and Mud House Hillside No.5 are the newest additions to its expanding travel retail portfolio.

The Premium Selection by Bill Hardy - a fifth generation winemaker of the Hardys family, has been created from top parcels of wine from premier wine producing regions in Australia. And is available in Shiraz or Chardonnay expressions.

Rupert Firbank, Accolade Wines commercial director comments: “Travel retail plays a significant role in the development of our Hardys wine brand. The introduction of The Premium Selection is another step in our mission to introduce travellers to the more premium end of the Hardys Portfolio.

“We have a very broad range of Hardys wines, some of which start at over AUS$200 per bottle, while others are available to the more modest passenger spend at less than AUS$12 at the other end of the spectrum. Wine in travel retail needs to appeal at a wide range of price points depending on location and passenger mix. Getting that message across is key for Accolade, and the introduction of Hardys Premium Selection takes us further in the right direction.”

Listed already in Auckland with Aer Rianta, Mud House Hillside No. 5 Sauvignon Blanc is solely sourced from the hillside blocks of Mud House’s Marlborough Vineyard. Firbank continues: “Retailers are beginning to capitalise on the value of having a broad selection of branded wine in their stores, so we feel that this is the perfect time to step up our investment in the industry.”